Power-transmitting apparatus



H. S. WOODWARD, In. POWER TRANSMITTING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILEDSEPT. 4, I9I9.

1,346,625. A Patented July 13, 1920.

3? awwwwww A .UNITED .STATESA PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT s. 'WooDWARn im., or PHILADELPHIA', PENNSYLVANIA.

POWER-TRANSMITTI'NG APPARATUS.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT S. WooDWAnD, Jr., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania have invented thePower-Transmitting pparatus, of which the following is a specification.

One obj ect of my invention is to provide a relatively simple,substantial and positive system of apparatus for transmitting power froma source thereof to a member to be actuated; the invention -moreparticularly contemplating a novel arrangement of parts for utilizingsteel or other hard balls as a power-transmitting medium.

It is further desired to provide a novel form of jack or equivalentmechanical elevating apparatus with means whereby hard balls may betaken or received from a reservoir and so operated on by a suitablesource of power acting as a pump as to' raise or otherwise impartmovement to the movable element of the jack; the arrangement being suchthat if desired a reverse operation of the motor or pump will cause areturn of the balls to their reservoir and a lowering or reversemovement-of the jack plunger` or other movable element of the system.

These objects and other advantageous ends I attain as hereinafter setforth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which, v

Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section, to some extentdiagrammatic, illustrating my invention as applied to a dentists orAsimilar chair;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2 2, Fig. l

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33, Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 is a horizontalsection also diagrammatic and illustrating a modification of theinvention.

In the above drawings 1 represents the hollow base or foot of the chairor other structure to which my invention is applied Specification ofLetters Patent.

Application led September 4J` 1919. Serial No. 321,524.

Patented July 13,1920.

balls in either of two directionsI is connected to the lower-part ofsaid cylinder.

In a typical construction such a pump would consist of a cylindricalbarrel having mounted within it a helical propelling member or rotordesigned to be driven in. either direction by a suitable source of powersuch as-an electric motor 6. This latter is shown as electricallyconnected to a controller 9 governed by a foot actuated member 7 so thatcurrent may be supplied to it to drive the rotor either in a directionto force the balls into the cylinder 3 or to draw them out ofthe same aswhen they are supplied to its barrel by reason of the pressure exertedby the plunger 2.

At any suitable point within the base or casing l is mounted a reservoir4 communicating with the ball pump 5 in such manner as to permit flow ofballs 10 thereto under the action of gravity when the rotor in said pumpis driven i one direction and to receive-balls from the pump when thelatter is driven in the opposite direction.

In the drawing the plunger 2-8 is shown as raised to its maximum extentand if it is desired to lower it, the foot-actuated member 7 of thecontroller 9 is so moved as to cause the electric motor to turn therotor of the pump in a direction causing it to take balls from thecylinder 3 and forcibly deliver them into the reservoir 4. As a resultthe plunger with whatever structure is carried thereby, falls under theaction of gravity.

When on the other hand it is desired to force the plunger 2 out of thecylinder 3. the member 7 of the controller 9 is so operated as to causethe rotor of the pump 5 to talre the balls from the reservoir 4 underthe action of gravityl and forcibly deliver them into the cylinder 3 sothat they act on the plunger Q and forcibly raise it, moving it out ofsaid cylinder to any desired extent.

Thereafter current may be cut off from the motor 6 by causing orpermitting the arm 7 to move to its neutral or off position, and saidplunger will remain in its given position until the pump is again put inoperation to further raise it or to remove the balls from the cylinder 3and permit it to lower.

If desired the motor and pump may be designed for operation in but onedirection and a valved by-pass 11 be provided between vthe cylinder andthe reservoir. In such case ing of the valve 12 in said' bypass wouldpermit liow of balls from the cylinder to the reservoir and allow theplunger to lower.

I claim:

1. The combination of a cylinder; a plunger operative therein; .areservoir a pump connecting the reservoir and the cylinder'; a motor fordriving the pump, means for controlling the motor; and a series ofrelatively hard balls movable by the pump from the reservoir to thecylinder to aotuate the plunger.

2. The combination of a cylinder; a plunger operative therein; areservoir; a body of relatively hard balls; and a reversible pumpconnected to force the balls from the lreservoir to the cylinder or viceversa.

3. The combination of a cylinder; a plunger operative therein; areservoir; a pump connected between the reservoir and the cylinder andincluding a hellcally formed rotor; a motor for driving said rotor; anda body of relatively hard balls in the reservoir, cylinder and pump.

4. The combination of a cylinder; a plungenoperative therein; a pumpconnected to the cylinder; a reservoir connected to the pump; and ballsmovable by the pump from the reservoir into the cylinder.

5. The combination of a cylinder; a plunger operative therein; a pumpconnected to the cylinder; a reservoir connected to the pump; and ballsmovable by the pump from the reservoir into the cylinder, said reservoirbeing mounted to deliver balls to the pump under the action of gravity.

6. The combination of a cylinder; a plunger operative therein; areservoir; a pump connected to the reservoir and cylinder; balls in thereservoir movable by the pump into the cylinder; a reversible motor` foractuating the pump; and a controller for causing reversal of the motorat will.

In witness whereof I aiixm signature.

ROBERT S. WOOD ARD, JR.

